Matchups: Dolphins-Bengals players to watch

Here is a look at a couple key matchups for Sunday's Dolphins-Bengals game, which will put one of the NFL's best rushing offenses up against the NFL's worst rushing defenses.

The Bengals are the NFL's worst rushing defense, allowing a league-leading 5.3 yards per carry and five rushing touchdowns.

The Dolphins have the fourth best rushing attack in the NFL heading into week four. Miami is averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 153.2 rushing yards per game.

The Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills are the only teams with more rushing yards per game than Miami. And the Chiefs (5.6), 49ers (5.4), Bills (5.1), Redskins (5.0) and Baltimore Ravens (4.7) are the only teams with a better per carry average.

Here are some of the other key matchups for Sunday's game.

Bengals WR AJ Green vs. Dolphins CB Sean Smith

Last week Smith asked for and received the assignment of shadowing Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald and Miami's 6-foot-4 cornerback limited the Cardinals Pro Bowl receiver to eight catches for 64 yards and one touchdown on his 15 targets.

Smith also intercepted two passes intended for Fitzgerald.

Considering Green's 428 yards has him ranked second in the NFL in yards it would benefit the Dolphins to have Smith shadow Cincinnati's Pro Bowl receiver. Opposing quarterbacks are completing 41.7 percent of their passes when targeting a receiver Smith is defending.

Miami's limited depth and injuries at the position kind of makes Smith shadowing Green a necessity.

Dolphins linebackers vs. Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham

The Dolphins linebackers have annually struggled containing seam threat tight ends, routinely allowing big plays to the position each game.

Even average tight ends are getting open on Miami's defense because they are in the habit of dropping into an open zone on linebackers Koa Misi and Kevin Burnett. That approach has been effective in games where pressure isn't being applied.

Gresham is Cincinnati's second leading receiver, catching 17 passes for 178 yards and one score. Last year Gresham caught 56 passes for 596 yards and scored six touchdowns for the Bengals.